Gulfstream test flight crashes
April 6, 2011, 09:44 pm
A test flight of the Gulfstream G650 aircraft on April 2 resulted in a fatal crash, the company announced.
The aircraft was being tested at the Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico on Saturday morning when it crashed during brake testing.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Lynn Lunsford told the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association that the right wing of the aircraft hit the ground shortly after take off, and the landing gear collapsed and burned.
"The aircraft skidded for quite some distance," Lunsford said. "It came to rest 35 to 40 feet from the tower."
Two experimental test pilots, Kent Crenshaw and Vivan Raguasa, along with two technical specialists, David McCollum and Reece Ollenburg, died in the crash. The accident is currently under investigation.
Aircraft testing is an important part of the aircraft-making process, and though tragedies such as this are rare, fatal internal problems with an aircraft may not be discovered until it is too late. Many aviators rely on life insurance for pilots to ensure their families are taken care of should an unforeseeable accident occur.
Are you covered? Are you overpaying? Find out! Get a Quote Now!
| 
